Tom Morello: Chart Victory Is ‘Historic Moment’

Rage Against The Machine rocker Tom Morello is urging fans to donate money to charity instead of buying Joe McElderry’s single – after beating “The X Factor” winner in a controversial race to the top of Britain’s Christmas music charts this year.

The band clinched the coveted Christmas number one spot in the U.K. on Sunday after an internet campaign to shut out the winner of Simon Cowell’s TV talent show. Their single, “Killing in the Name,” outsold the teen’s cover of Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb” by more than 50,000 downloads.

The shock outcome brought an end to a five-year run of “The X Factor” winners who have claimed top position in the U.K. festive charts.

And guitarist Morello insists the victory is a monumental moment in music history.

He says, “This is such a historic moment. A grassroots campaign of non-conformists has overthrown the pop charts at Christmas. It represents a great victory for cutting-edge music and the voice of the people. They decided they’d had enough with saccharine-sweet corporate pop acts ruling the airwaves. It’s not like the band put this forward, it was the people. But the members of Rage Against The Machine are so thankful that they chose our song to be the flagship.”

Most of the proceeds from the re-release of “Killing in the Name” will go to the U.K. charity Shelter – and Morello wants fans feeling sympathetic for 18-year-old McElderry to help good causes, too.

He adds, “The band want to make it very clear that this is not something that we intend to profit from. We are donating a substantial portion of the proceeds to homeless charity Shelter. Whatever sympathy is there for Joe, use it to leave your donations for Shelter. Those are people who deserve sympathy and support at Christmas, not the latest X Factor poster boy.”

Meanwhile, music mogul Cowell admits he is stunned by the defeat.

He says, “I now realize I’ve taken too much for granted. I have got to hold my hands up. I accept that there are people that don’t like The X Factor. I’m gutted (disappointed) for Joe because a number one single meant a lot to him.”